Examiners Report/

Principal Examiner Feedback

January 2014



Pearson Edexcel International GCSE
in Human Biology (4HB0) Paper 02



























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January 2014
Publications Code UG037759
All the material in this publication is copyright
Pearson Education Ltd 2014

4HB0 (02) Principal Examiners Report January 2014


The paper enabled candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and
understanding of the subject matter. All questions proved to be accessible
to at least some of the candidates and those questions which were intended
to discriminate do so effectively. One area for candidate development is in
the use of scientific language. For far too many candidates colloquialisms
particularly in parts of question 6 i.e. fighting disease and in question 3 the
use of the term germs, often detracted from potentially good answers.


Question 1

Most candidates demonstrated at least some understanding of the overall
process of sewage treatment and usually identified at least two and in many
cases, all three places where bacteria were needed for the process. Whilst
many candidates correctly identified methane as the gas evolved there
were many who described it as biogas which was not acceptable. Most
candidates recognised the use for the digested sludge as a fertiliser
however, a minority regarded it as compost or manure which were not
acceptable descriptions. Part (d) proved to be more challenging with fewer
candidates selecting the correct stage. This may be due to a lack of
understanding of the term anaerobic.


Question 2

Although many candidates were able to correctly name the structures
labelled A there were many who described them as chromatids or DNA.
Only the better candidates gave clear and unambiguous answers to part (b).
Many drew the correct number of chromosomes but failed to distinguish
them using their appropriate shapes, leaving the examiner to decide whether
the candidate really did know what was happening during the two processes.
Unless the shapes were clear and distinguishable marks were not awarded.

The major issue with the answers to part (c) was often the appalling spelling
of the names of the bases. Although the phonetic spelling was accepted it
must be a focus for future candidates to ensure that they learn the correct
spelling of the five bases to avoid confusion and to allow them to score
marks more freely.
Many candidates were unable to give a clear and concise account of the term
sex linked. Many confused it with the term sexually transmitted. A simple
statement that the condition is carried on the X chromosome was all that
was required. The genetic cross should have proved relatively straight
forward but many candidates failed to score marks because they did not set
out their answers in the expected and traditional manner. The genotypes of
the parents were required followed by the genotypes of the gametes they
produce. An indication of the crosses carried out by the gametes (and a
Punnett square was perfectly acceptable) should follow with lastly each
resulting offspring genotype being assigned its appropriate phenotype. This
last stage in the cross was the one most commonly omitted.

The question asks for a probability which was not given by a number of
candidates. Others became confused between the ratio 1:3 and the
probability of 1 in 4. A surprising number of candidates did not know that
the male genotype is XY and instead tried to cross XX with XX and many
thought that the relevant allele is carried on the Y chromosome as well.


Question 3

Many candidates confused the question asked with one asking about food
preservation, so many answers given were largely irrelevant. However, this
question outside of this issue did prove to be a good discriminator with good
candidates scoring maximum marks but even the weaker ones able to score
one or two. There were two particular failings in candidates answers.
Firstly, many candidates correctly described a method that was appropriate
to the prevention of the spread of food-borne diseases, for example, wash
hands after going to the toilet. However, they failed to then give a reason
why i.e. to remove any bacteria that could be passed onto the food. This
meant that many candidates denied themselves access to a significant
number of marks. The second issue was that use of the word germs
instead of appropriate terminology such as bacteria or pathogens. The term
germs does not receive credit and should never be used.


Question 4

Many candidates correctly identified carbon as the element though a sizable
number suggested that it could be iodine because of the black appearance.
All three available tests for water were quoted by candidates and it was
particularly pleasing to note that many quoted the complete colour change ie
from to. It would have been preferable if all candidates had quoted the use
of anhydrous copper sulphate or cobalt chloride rather than just name the
chemicals. Many candidates who used the boiling/freezing point means of
identification simply stated the temperature at which water boils or freezes.
However, the question asks the candidates how it would be possible to test
the theory which means the water either had to be heated, or cooled and the
temperature at which it boiled or froze noted.

The answers to part (c) were often very poor. The use of gloves is not an
acceptable precaution and their use is not something that would be part of
normal laboratory procedure. The use of a water bath in many cases would
be an acceptable precaution but not in this case because the heating
temperature needed to be well above the boiling point of water. Candidates
must apply their knowledge and understanding the actual experimental
procedure and not trot out generic safety precautions.

Many candidates were unable to draw an appropriate piece of workable
apparatus. A common mistake was for a delivery tube, when drawn, not to
pass under the surface of the limewater/indicator so the apparatus would not
work. Often candidates failed to include a bung in the tube to be heated or
put one into the tube containing limewater/indicator. The former scenario

would not yield an appropriate result the latter would yield a result but
would not be very safe unless an outlet tube had been included.
Answers to part (e) indicated a good knowledge of the Benedicts test
though a minority failed to employ any form of heating.


Question 5

Many candidates were able to identify all four bones correctly though where
problems arose it was usually with the ulna and radius. However, a number
of candidates named bone C as the shoulder blade rather than as the
scapula.
Most candidates scored well in answering part be and understood the
antagonistic relationship between the biceps and triceps muscles. There
were a number of candidates who named the muscles bicuspid and tricuspid
and a very common error was to describe movement of the arm rather than
the forearm. Few candidates made reference to the pulling effect on bones
as a result of muscular contraction.

The difference in movement between the two joints was well described by
many candidates. However, a significant number still describe movement in
terms of one direction versus all round movement. The simplest and most
concise and accurate way to describe movement in the joints is either 180
degree movement versus 360 degree movement or movement in one plane
versus movement in three planes. These descriptions leave no element of
confusion.


Question 6

Overall, this question proved to be the most challenging. Descriptions of
how the transfer of malaria occurs were often confused and indeed
confusing. The situation was not helped by many references to the
causative organism being either a bacterium or a virus. Few seemed aware
that it is a protozoan organism. There were many irrelevant descriptions of
development processes of the organism in the blood and liver of a human.
Few candidates made it clear that the mosquito will suck the blood of an
infected person and then pass it onto an uninfected person through the
saliva of the mosquito.

Most candidates failed to understand that tropical climates are wet and warm
and are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. In the answers to part (c)
many candidates made reference to the condition conferring resistance to
malaria (often comparing it with sickle cell anaemia which was not relevant)
but then could not go the next step to say that such people would be likely
to live longer and reach breeding age and pass on the condition.

In their answers to part (d) many candidates were able to describe the
production of antibodies or memory cells but often failed to mention that
they remained in the blood. Where they did make this connection they were
unable to effectively describe how this helped prevent subsequent attacks of
malaria. Far too many candidates made reference to them fighting the

disease. The use of this word does not convey the fact that the immune
response occurs more quickly thereby destroying the pathogenic organism
before it can manifest symptoms of the disease.

Many candidates understood that the difficulty in producing an effective
vaccine lay in the fact that there are many strains and mutations are
common.



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